Cricket Creek Bog Time heals all wounds

The rain and the cold were not pleasant to travel in; it meant a constantly wet coat and a chill that she could feel in her bones. But at no point did it make her want to stop—she knew they needed to find somewhere permanent to stay, and that meant traveling efficiently so that they could find their old pack before it got really cold. 

They stopped near a swollen river, and she followed closely as he found a spot under a tree to rest. She couldn't be sure, but he seemed overly bothered by the wetness on his feet, and she thought rest would be good if they were causing him discomfort. Effie settled down next to him and watched as a turtle swam through the water, leaving ripples behind it. Occasionally, it would stop and poke its head above the surface and look around, presumably for something to eat, and then it would disappear again, back on the move. 

Rye said her name, and she turned from the turtle to look at him. He said he had a question for her, and she offered him a shy smile. What would you like to ask me? Was it a serious question? Or a question about her past? Maybe he just wanted to know if she was hungry. Her mind swirled with all the possibilities as she waited for him to speak again.